Infielder Ching Kai Lin (64) of Chinese Taipei hit a grand slam in the top of the 10th inning during the Asia Professional Baseball Championship game between Australia and Chinese Taipei at Tokyo Dome on November 17, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images)
By Matthew Tallarini
World Baseball Network
Chinese Taipei’s pitching staff combined to throw a 10-inning, two-hit shutout against Australia 6-0 on the second day of the Asia Professional Baseball Championship.
The Chinese Taipei pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts and allowed one walk during Friday’s win.
Chinese Taipei starting pitcher Ko-Yi Chien threw seven innings with 91 pitches and faced 23 batters, allowing two hits, one walk, and five strikeouts.
Australia manager Dave Nilsson yanked starting pitcher Ky Hampton at the start of the top of the fourth inning after he threw three innings facing 12 batters throwing 34 pitches and allowing four hits during Friday’s loss.
The game was scoreless until the top of the 10th inning when Chinese Taipei designated hitter Chieh-Hsien Chen knocked in a two-run RBI single into center field, scoring center fielder Hsiao-Cheng Lin and catcher Pei-Feng Tai to put Chinese Taipei up 2-0. Tai was on first and Lin on second base to start the 10th inning.
A few batters later, Chinese Taipei second baseman Ching-Kai Lin launched a grand slam over the left field wall off Australia relief pitcher Daniel McGrath, scoring Chen, left fielder Chih-Cheng Chiu, and right fielder Cheng-Hua Yueh to extend the lead to 6-0.
Chinese Taipei relief pitcher Chun-Wei Chiu got Australia third baseman Clayton Campbell to ground out to short for the final out of the game, and Chinese Taipei improved to 1-1 at the APBC beating Australia 6-0. Australia remains winless, falling to 0-2.
Australia’s pitching staff faced 44 batters, allowing nine hits, six earned runs, two walks, and six strikeouts during Friday’s shutout loss.
Australia will play Japan (2-0) on Friday at 10 p.m. EST at the Tokyo Dome in the final game of the opening round of the 2023 APBC. Chinese Taipei will play South Korea (1-1) on Saturday at 5 a.m. EST at the Tokyo Dome.